Managing Flood Risk - Carlisle Case Study

The Carlisle Floods of January 2005

Carlisle is situated on the flood plain of the River Eden with three rivers meeting in the city. The catchment covers approximately 2400km2 and is home to approximately 244,000 people. The catchment is mainly rural, with only 1% classified as urban: the main urban areas are Carlisle, Penrith and Appleby.

Carlisle has a history of flooding with flood events recorded as far back as the 1700s. In recent years there have been significant floods in 1963, 1968, 1979, 1980, 1984, and recently in 2005.

Across the catchment, the January 2005 flooding affected 2,700 homes. In Carlisle three people died, 1,844 properties were flooded and there was significant disruption to residents, businesses and visitors. The cost of the flooding was estimated at over Â£400 million. The flooding followed prolonged heavy rain, and was caused by a combination of floodwater from the Rivers Eden, Pettereril and Caldew and localised flooding from sewers and road drainage.

As a result of this flooding, the Environment Agency has prepared a flood management plan. Through this website you can investigate the causes of the 2005 flood, its effects on Carlisle, and different solutions to prevent future flooding.

sai
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Hamish
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George Ramsey
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This has helped just so much, don't know what I'd do without it. Spend every night on it! Such a help! Thank you guys so much! xxxxx

Hamish Macpherson
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18:22 - 07/11/12

This website is soooo helpful. I go on it everyday to do my homework :). I agree with Martin! The geography community spirit is amazing :D. Love all of you very much, good luck xxxxxxxxxxxx

Joshua Brailsford
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00:09 - 11/11/12

I was involved in the Carlisle floods and I would just like to say how emotional it was reading about them! I love how you guys are raising awareness!thankyou so much xx

richard head
Guest

09:49 - 22/11/12

it was a really hard time, when the flood appeared at my window. it was cold and i was scared. my mommy came up stairs and we went to an evactuation centre. my xbox was ful of water and the whole experience was horrible. xxxxx

adam from sunderland
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11:38 - 15/01/13

i would like to say how helpful this article was for me.love the geography spirit

robert
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12:42 - 15/01/13

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oga booga
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08:51 - 16/01/13

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chris simpson
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14:22 - 23/01/13

hey, chris here. i love the geography community spirit. thanks for the page lol

william blackett
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14:23 - 23/01/13

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Andrew
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13:32 - 25/01/13

Very helpful :)

sambrose
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14:22 - 07/02/13

this is shocking

Mokgadi
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09:58 - 21/02/13

Situation ws very bad

nofnof
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09:01 - 28/02/13

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Rozay
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22:54 - 18/03/13

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lewis
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14:46 - 25/04/13

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15:59 - 25/04/13

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anna
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19:42 - 28/04/13

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Sophie Phillips-Smith
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22:37 - 28/04/13

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kenaya
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18:30 - 29/04/13

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Catherine Louise
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22:15 - 29/04/13

Thanks to this website I got an A* on my geography test!?

Alun
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10:50 - 10/05/13

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Rosie
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16:54 - 15/05/13

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Sophie Phillips-Smith
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14:53 - 19/05/13

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Sam
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14:59 - 19/09/13

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Sunjeev Sian
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12:53 - 18/10/13

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Megan
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16:10 - 21/10/13

Thanks, this was really helpful. Would have done it off knowledge but I was quite young when it happened :)

r-dawg
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11:33 - 22/11/13

this was great i loved it! geography rocks !

George Ramsey
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01:20 - 27/12/13

Cara O'Roarty, I agree entirely. I researched so much into this case study, went from library to library, bookshop to bookshop. But this website honestly was the icing on the case study cake. All the info I needed was just right in front of me!!! Definitely going to use it again! Thanks so much guys, you're all angels x

Matt
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@callumpolak
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Greg
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19:08 - 07/10/14

This really helped me on my homework!! thanks.....

georgia
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12:55 - 16/12/15

very helpful. I now know everything about floods

Gerald Fletcher
Guest

22:43 - 22/12/15

I was born in probably the second closest house (6, Etterby Terrace, Stanwix) in September 1944. I can remember several times when the River Eden came to the top of its banks. During the 50's the banks on the Stanwix Bank side from the cricket ground to Etterby Terrace were reinforced with steel shuttering and gravel banks were removed. We left the terrace in about 1952 and the following year during the coronation period the river flooded up to the front door of my old home. During the floods I can recollect the Solway Bore coming up and under Eden Bridge where it formed an arc as it washed over the Rickerby Park flood plain. This park was often flooded as I recall when canoeing in the rapids in the Park. I think the current problems have been aggravated by the effect of the New embankments to stop flooding, Eden Bridge, the rail bridge and now the new west circular rd bridge all create restrictions to the flow and combined with the Solway bore and the other Solway rivers, including the Esk, Annan, Nith that are all part of a really massive catchment area.

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